


Ephemera

by WriteDragon (lightspire)



Category: due South
Genre: Ephemera - Freeform, Epistolary, Fictional Library Archive, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-20
Updated: 2019-10-20
Packaged: 2020-12-24 22:53:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21107348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lightspire/pseuds/WriteDragon
Summary: A fictional library collection of ephemera and documents pertaining to a temporary liaison arrangement between the Chicago Police Department and the Canadian Consulate. The collection gives a tantalizing glimpse into life during the latter part of the 20th century.





	Ephemera

**Archive search results, page 1/1, The “Found History” Collection**

Descriptive Summary: 

Title: Ephemera collection #205 

Dates:  c. 1994-1999

Manuscript:  290847A

Repository:  Special Collections Research Center

University of Chicago Library

1100 East 57th Street

Chicago, Illinois 60637 U.S.A.

Abstract:  A digitized collection of ephemera and documents pertaining to a temporary liaison arrangement between the Chicago Police Department and the Canadian Consulate. The collection gives a tantalizing glimpse into life during the latter part of the 20th century.

——————--

**Item 1**

Item Description: Invoice/Receipt

Date: 22 September, 1994

Provenance: found among the papers of Ray Vecchio, Detective, Retired

Transcript:

The Hat Doctor, Alberta, Canada

Item to be repaired: One (1) RCMP-issue Stetson

Charges: Restore one (1) bullet hole in the crown, clean, reblock: $98 CDN

Shipping and handling: $40 CDN to Chicago, Illinois

Archivist note: a handwritten addition appears on the bottom, in blue ink: “best friends.”

———

**Item 2**

Item Description: Handwritten list

Date: c. mid-March, 1995

Provenance: found among the papers of Ray Vecchio, Detective, Retired

Transcript:

To Do:

BF — compliment haircut

Layaway pmt due!! (leather corset)

Re-heel black stilettos

Birthday present for nephew

Mani-pedi + bikini wax

City College — psych course??

Pictures from Fotomat (enlargements of BF)

Choir practice

Archivist note: The penmanship on this item differs from the others in the Ray Vecchio collection. The script is written in purple ink, the loops are large and open, and the i’s are dotted with tiny hearts.

———

**Item 3**

Item Description: Invoice/Receipt

Date: 15 June, 1995

Provenance: found among the papers of Ray Vecchio, Detective, Retired

Transcript:

Ace Hardware

One (1) handheld power saw, $88.51

Archivist note: a handwritten addition appears on the bottom, in blue ink: “rebuild.”

———

**Item 4**

Item Description: Single-page letter

Date: 29 March, 1996

Provenance: donated by Sister Annie MacRae, Saint Fortunata Catholic School

Transcript: 

Saint Fortunata Catholic School letterhead

Dear  Miss Constable Fraser, 

Thank you for helping my school and for saving me and my friend’s lives.

I’ll try to remember all the good things you told me.

Since you gave me such good advice, here’s some for you: to get lipstick stains out of that blue dress, try hairspray.

Sincerely,

Melissa

P.S. I meant what I said about the red wig. You’re a Winter. Go with brunette or maybe silver next time.

———

Item 5

Item Description: Printed booklet, “Secrets of Semaphore: A Beginner’s Guide”

Date: c. May, 1996

Provenance: found among the papers of Ray Vecchio, Detective, Retired

Transcript: Twenty-five page booklet containing images of semaphore code and instructions. See PDF scan for full entry.

Archivist note: a handwritten addition appears on a sticky note affixed to the inside front cover, in blue ink: “How Mounties flirt.”

———

**Item 6**

Item Description: Leather-bound journal/diary

Date: 1995-1997

Provenance: Donated by Sgt. Benton R. Fraser, RCMP

Transcript: A journal of handwritten notes describing work on a variety of cases. See PDF scan for full entry.

———

**Item 7**

Item Description: Handwritten note

Date: 14 September, 1997

Provenance: Found stuck in the back of Detective Ray Kowalski’s top center desk drawer at the 27th precinct.

Transcript:

Note to SELF — 

The Mountie is unhinged, but he’s the best person you’ll ever meet. He’s like a brother to me. He will try to kill himself, and you, repeatedly. Don’t let him. And if you ever so much as lay a finger on him or hurt him in any way, I will find you. Then I will string your skinny ass up by the toenails and flay you alive. Capisce?

Archivist note: handwritten in blue ink.

———

**Item 8**

Item Description: ticket stub

Date: 3 November, 1997

Provenance: Unknown. Donated to the collection by the estate of “H”.

Transcript:

A printed ticket stub to the Chicago Ballet: A Tchaikovsky Celebration

Archivist note: a handwritten addition is scrawled on the back, in pencil: 

“The white raven waits for the right wave”. Next to the words is a crude illustration of a birdlike figure in the shape of a rubber duck.

———

**Item 9**

Item Description: Handwritten list

Date: 5 January, 1998

Provenance: Found stuck to the bottom of Detective Ray Kowalski’s lower right desk drawer at the 27th precinct.

Pros:

Better pay maybe

Get my own name back

Respect

New partner

No more F

Cons:

Moving would suck

New job might suck

New boss might suck

New partner might suck

No more F

Archivist note: handwritten in black ink.

———

**Item 10**

Item Description: Handwritten shopping list

Date: c. December, 1998

Provenance: Found underneath a stack of takeout menus at the 27th precinct.

Transcript:

m&m’s — 3 bags

Beer — 6pk

coffee (instant)

gum

toothpaste

hair gel (extra hold)

pierogies

pastrami, thin sliced

Bread

mustard

tea for F

milk for F

extra toothbrush for F

briefs —  <strike> 3 pk .  6 pk. </strike> 8 pk.

<strike> bribes </strike> treats for Dief, so he’ll stop stealing my clothes

lube

Archivist note: handwritten in black ink. There is a ¼-inch diameter stain on the left edge, believed to be chocolate.

  
———

**Item 11**

Item Description: Handwritten note

Date: 15 April, 1999

Provenance: Detective Ray Kowalski’s landlady, Velma Brockwein.

Transcript:

Dear Velma,

Thanks for everything. Hope I left the place in good shape. My friend helped me clean it up and fixed a couple things, so we should be good. Final rent payment enclosed.

Ray Kowalski

P.S. If you’re ever in Canada, look me up. 

Archivist note: handwritten in black ink.

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Writing Challenge, ds_flashfiction community on Dreamwidth, October 20, 2019.


End file.
